New York Renews

The Purpose Climate Lab sought to unify climate, justice and labor movements by creating a statewide coalition to fight for climate change policies ground in equity and justice. By bringing these diverse groups together, the campaign rallied unprecedented support, resulting in significant political progress and the unlocking of millions of dollars.

Challenge

Too often, climate, justice and labor movements are pitted against each other, holding up progress everywhere, and for everyone.

Opportunity

The Purpose Climate Lab sought to challenge this norm by seeding a largest statewide coalition that fought for climate change policies ground in equity and justice for communities and working people in New York.

Action

The Purpose Climate Lab utilized it’s diverse relationships with heads of justice and environmental organizations in New York to create buy in, and committed seed funding and a staff person to coordinate the coalition and develop campaign strategy. Purpose created developed a strong people oriented brand to unite these diverse organizations.

Purpose Climate Lab provided an innovation micro grant of $50,000 to Center for Working Families to found the New York Renews coalition. This contribution enabled a powerful launch of the campaign, and unlocked a further $1,000,000 in grants from large philanthropies to sustain the coalition.

Theory of Change

By gathering together organizations that are interested in climate but have been previously disengaged to create an unprecedented statewide coalition that can create policy reports that advocate for commons sense solutions and social campaigns that reframe the narrative to be about sustainability and a just transition, we can fight for statewide reforms on energy spending and clean energy commitments.

Website

Social Media

Impact

A small financial investment of $50,000, and a staff person’s time to build and unify this diverse coalition unlocked millions of dollars. The campaign, ground in a commitment to justice and equity, rallied unprecedented support and resulted in significant political progress.

The Climate Lab provided the coalition with excellent design assets, communications, and digital strategy to bring the campaign for economic justice, good jobs, healthier communities and social justice through 100% clean energy above and beyond.

Over 1,200 people turned out on the steps of the state capitol at the end of the legislative session in June, representing over 75 progressive New York based community organizations. #NYRenews trended nationally on social media and attracted dozens of media hits.

Because of the strength and commitment to a 100% clean renewable energy future for New York, this coalition saw the strongest pieces of climate justice legislation (The Climate & Community Protection Act) in the country passed in the State Assembly with a 92 – 41 vote.